


Vietnam Assassins

by BlackHunter666



Series: Away Team 16 [1]
Category: Assassin's Creed, Tour of Duty (1987)
Genre: Assassins in war, Brotherhood, Gen, Vietnam War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-27
Updated: 2016-02-02
Packaged: 2018-05-16 12:03:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5827861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackHunter666/pseuds/BlackHunter666
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>1967, Vietnam. A team of Assassins has been placed among the troops at Firebase Ladybird, tasked with maintaining their cover as soldiers while also working against the Templars hidden on both sides of this damned war. From all different backgrounds and walks of life, the team learns to trust each other and does their best to stay on top of their ever changing duties.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preparations

'I still can't believe ya let the Council talk you into a third tour.' Rusty remarked, leaning back against the wall of their hidden bunker.  
'There was no lettin' involved, Rusty.' Zeke sighed, looking up from his careful maintenance. 'Ya know better than that.'  
'Yeah, but I was still hopin' this was ya choice.' Rusty nodded, scratching at his hair. 'That said, it's nice to have some extra help.'  
'Stopped bein' my choice a long time ago, Rusty.' Zeke shrugged, finishing his work and setting the tools aside. 'Last tour was an order too, if ya recall.'  
'Seems to be our lot in life.' Rusty agreed, tugging lightly at his sleeve. 'Better get used to it, Zeke. We're leadin' a proper team this time.'  
'Can't say I like the sound of that, Rusty.' Zeke returned, turning to start putting his tools away.  
  
Though most people weren't aware of it, Zeke and Rusty were both lifelong members of an ancient and shadowy organisation. Working in secret under the cover of a military unit, they headed out after dark to eliminate key targets on both sides of this war, setting aside their allegiance to their country to fulfil a far more important oath. By day they killed the NVA and VC without hesitation. By night they pulled up their hoods and slipped out as Assassins, slinking through the shadows to put the knife to any Templars they were sent to hunt.  
  
Securing his repair tools and taking a seat on the storage chest, Zeke shoved his sleeve up and slipped the scarred old bracer over his left hand. Making sure it was lined up properly and pulling the straps secure, he tested the mechanism and smiled tightly as the blade flashed out in the brighter lights of their bunker.  
'We already got a good team, don't need more initiates out here.' Zeke nodded, flicking his blade out of sight and pulling down his sleeve.  
'Not our call, Zeke. Local HQ requested it, our Council agreed and prepared a team for us. We just gotta accept it now.' Rusty sighed, running one hand through his hair. 'From what I've been told, they ain't all initiates either.'  
'Just most of 'em?' Zeke asked, getting up and heading over to restock some of his other gear.  
'Nah, only a couple of them. Two have at least made a few kills, enough to be considered competent.' Rusty shrugged, pulling out his pipe and tobacco.  
'Spill it Rusty, can tell ya hidin' a lot.' Zeke growled, glancing up from sheathing a new set of throwing knives. 'Ya can't hide from me, not anymore.'  
'Ya ain't gonna like this Zeke.' Rusty warned, glancing up for a moment to make sure no one was looking for them. 'Word is that we've got a Goldman comin' our way.'  
  
The mere mention of that name made Zeke freeze, a knife partway into its sheath as he lifted his gaze slowly. They both knew the stories about the Goldman's, every Assassin in America knew about the Goldman's and the incredible actions of one in particular. Zeke had his own reasons to dislike the Goldman's, an old grudge that hadn't really been a problem since he was a young man but now it was raising its ugly head once more.  
'Ya mean to tell me that we've got one of 'em in here?' Zeke groaned, hiding his face in one hand as the memories came back. 'Oh fuck…is it too late to head back to the world?'  
'Ya ain't leavin' me alone with a Goldman, Zeke.' Rusty growled, a throwing knife suddenly imbedded in the crate right beside Zeke. 'I don't like this either but our orders stand.'  
'How many kills?' Zeke asked, pulling the knife free and flicking it back towards Rusty.  
'According to the file, none. He's been kept on a real short leash.' Rusty shrugged, tucking the knife away securely. 'Actually, he's pretty much average.'  
'No way.' Zeke insisted, turning to Rusty again. 'No way in hell is a Goldman just average.'  
'This one is.' Rusty countered, holding out an open file.  
  
Accepting the file and reading it over carefully, Zeke's eyes disappeared into his headband as he scanned the front page. Sure enough, this Myron Goldman came through training as a totally average Assassin. He showed exceptional skill in some areas, mostly with weapons but his free running scores were barely enough for him to pass initiation and his stealth abilities needed a lot more work.  
'Well I'll be damned, ain't been much for free runnin' but I'm better than a Goldman.' Zeke chuckled, scanning the page again. 'Hell, mosta my training scores were better than this.'  
'Like I said, he's average.' Rusty smirked, accepting the file back. 'He ain't here yet, but he's comin' and we gotta be ready for him. I ain't lettin' ya walk out on me now, Zeke. I gotta know ya with me on this.'  
'I ain't leavin' Rusty, promise. We gotta handle this together, no one man could take it all.' Zeke soothed, well used to Rusty's shifting emotions. 'What about the other guys in the team? They all been blooded properly?'  
'Only two of them actually, Scott Baker and Alberto Ruiz have both recorded kills. Can understand why Daniel Purcell ain't been blooded, not a lot of chances in rural Montana for that. Not so sure about this Roger Horne, his record states that he's been on several missions already but so far he's never been blooded.' Rusty sighed, scrubbing at his hair again.  
'Ya don't seriously think…' Zeke started, jaw dropping as he looked at Rusty again. 'We can't risk a protester here.'  
'Its outta our hands Zeke and ya know it.' Rusty cut him off, slumping back against the wall.  
'Don't mean I gotta like it.' Zeke groused, slumping down on the nearest crate. 'You gonna tell the guys or do I gotta do it?'  
'I'll do it. Ya the one gonna have to head back and collect our recruits when they arrive.' Rusty smirked, ducking the unarmed grenade Zeke threw at him. 'Hey, I'm the Captain in charge of this base. I can't leave for a recruitin' run.'  
'A guy could really get to hate this double system.' Zeke grumbled, getting to his feet. 'Alright, I'll go chase up the guys.'  
'Thanks Zeke.' Rusty nodded, returning the grenade to its crate with a gentle flick of his wrist.  
  
==]====> <====[==  
  
They had come into this mission as a team of eight, settling under Rusty and Zeke's shared command quickly. Just four months later, they were down to three lucky survivors, each one now a veteran of the war and a highly skilled Assassin. They stuck together against all comers, Taylor and Johnson making sure they didn't lose Randy in the chaos of war and supporting their seniors when it came time to make the choice about Assassin missions.   
  
Trooping down into their hidden bunker, the trio settled on the various crates scattered around and looked up to Rusty, waiting for their latest orders. They knew that he only called the team together when there was a seriously big mission to handle, otherwise he'd just brief them as they wandered around the firebase.  
'Relax guys, this isn't about a mission.' Rusty grinned, closing the file in his hands. 'Local HQ and our Council have decided to send us five new Assassins to fill our team again. Only two have been properly blooded, the other three have yet to face that moment.'  
'Oh man, this is no place for initiates.' Marcus groused, shaking his head quickly. 'Ain't HQ already realised what happens to 'em here.'  
'HQ don't believe that a five man team can handle the situation here. They insist on a ten man team and there's nothin' I can do to change their minds.' Rusty sighed, tugging at his hair quickly. 'We just gotta do the best we can with the new guys.'  
'And when they buy the farm like the last lot?' Marvin asked, leaning back against the wall.  
'We'll cross that bridge when we get there.' Zeke shrugged, stepping up beside Rusty. 'I figure HQ will either demand more replacements or realise that it takes a special someone to survive here.'  
'I hope it's the second.' Randy uttered, dropping his gaze. 'Knowing HQ though, we'll get another batch of initiates to train.'  
'Whatever happens, we'll do our duty to the best of our abilities.' Rusty nodded, looking around the room slowly. 'I give you fair warnin', guys, we've got a Goldman in the new group. Before ya all start bitchin', Zeke and I will be the ones working closest with him. He's comin' in as a new 2nd Lieutenant.'  
'This keeps gettin' better 'n' better.' Zeke groaned, glaring at Rusty. 'Nice of ya to warn me, Rusty.'  
'Suck it up, Zeke.' Rusty chuckled, bracing for an outburst. 'Myron's an OCS graduate, not a West Pointer. Ya gonna be fine with him.'  
'Myron? What sort of a name is that?' Marvin sniggered, trying so hard to hide his amusement.  
'He's Jewish too, so we'll have to pay attention to a few extra things.' Rusty continued, most of his attention on Zeke.  
'What about the rest of the team?' Randy asked, trying to calm things down before Zeke exploded. 'What can you tell us about them?'  
'Scott Baker from Anaheim California. He's a vegetarian so we'll have to speak to the mess about making allowances. He's been blooded, sent out to deal with a Templar who was trying to recruit boys into their cause over here. Alberto Ruiz from the Bronx. Typical hot head so we'll have to keep a sharp watch on him. He's been blooded too, took out a drug syndicate all on his own. Daniel Purcell of Billings Montana, never been blooded so we'll find a suitable mission for him so he can get used to the idea of killing up close. Finally we've got Roger Horn, hailing from Chicago. Not sure what to make of him, he's never been blooded even though his file indicates that he's been on several missions.' Rusty listed, handing around simplified copies of their files for everyone to read. 'Myron's never been blooded either.'  
'Oh joy, three initiates to train.' Marcus mumbled, reading through the files carefully.  
'Well done Marcus, you just agreed to work alongside Scott. 'Rusty nodded, eyes flashing for a moment. 'Marvin, I'd like you to focus on Alberto. Randy, think you can handle Daniel?'  
'Yeah, I think I can handle him.' Randy replied, flicking back to Daniel's file. 'Who's watching over Roger?'  
'Down here, I'll watch over him but when ya in the field, ya gonna have to share that around.' Rusty shrugged, briefly toying with the Master amulet around his throat. 'Quit glarin' Zeke. Ya gonna have to get used to Myron, he's joining this team and he's ya new LT so just suck it up and make it work.'  
'Ya can be a real bastard at times, ya know.' Zeke snapped, throwing down the files and getting to his feet. 'Ya damned well know why I got a thin' against Goldman's…now ya saddle me with one. Won't be so funny when he's pinchin' ya kills.'  
'Sit down Zeke!' Rusty snapped, unable to believe that this was coming out right now.  
'Go to hell, Rusty.' Zeke shot back, flipping Rusty off and stalking out of the bunker.  
'What the hell was that all about?' Marvin asked, slowly turning his gaze back to Rusty.  
'You don't wanna know, trust me on that.' Rusty replied, running one hand through his hair as he thought. 'Stay here and read over the files. I'll go talk with Zeke.'  
'Here's hoping he doesn't start throwin' punches.' Marcus muttered, turning back to his reading material as Rusty headed out of the bunker.  
'Let it go, man.' Randy sighed, getting comfortable and starting to really study the impending arrivals. 'It's between Rusty and Zeke.'  
  
Finding Zeke actually wasn't that hard, he'd gone back to the team tent to change for a mission. Fully aware that they didn't have any missions tonight, Rusty came up behind him and neatly tripped Zeke, sending him sprawling across the hard-packed ground and dropping onto him in an attempt to pin him down. They ended up in a vicious wrestling match, tumbling across the dirt as they traded punches and tried to pin the other down.  
'Ya ain't a naïve kid anymore, Zeke. Ya got the upper hand this time.' Rusty growled, managing to knee Zeke in the gut. 'He ain't gonna steal ya kills. He can't.'  
'He's still a Goldman. With his daddy, he can get away with anythin'.' Zeke insisted, head butting Rusty and rolling them over.  
'No, he can't, Zeke. He tries it and I'll have him. Ya ain't gotta face this alone.' Rusty snapped, managing to get one arm around Zeke's throat. 'This is Nam, ya got rank on him.'  
'Goldman's ain't stopped by rank.' Zeke snarled, trying to pry Rusty's arm off but he couldn't get leverage. 'He'll try it, just like his old man.'  
'What makes ya think I'd take his word over yours? C'mon, ya know me better than that.' Rusty sighed, maintaining his grip as Zeke finally started to settle. 'He tries it, just let me know and I'll have him shipped back to the world for remedial trainin'. I gotcha back this time Zeke, promise.'  
'Ya really mean that?' Zeke asked, allowing Rusty to roll him onto his back.  
'I mean it Zeke. I ain't gonna throw ya under the bus.' Rusty promised, climbing off Zeke and hauling him to his feet. 'I was holdin' this mission for one of our unblooded boys but I can tell ya need to work off some steam.'  
'Nah, keep it for one of the boys. I was just gonna go check on the LP's.' Zeke chuckled, glancing at the page Rusty was holding out. 'Gotta keep all my skills sharp.'  
'Alright, just be careful.' Rusty nodded, returning the page to his pocket. 'If ya really don't wanna go, I'll make the recruitin' run.'  
'Nah, I gotta face this sooner or later. Might as well get in the first shot.' Zeke grinned, relaxed and at peace with his choice. 'I'll let ya know if I spot any problems.'  
'Much appreciated Zeke.' Rusty chuckled, relieved that Zeke was once again onside. 'I'll go let the guys know things are back to normal.'  
'For the moment.' Zeke smirked, pulling up his hood and checking his blades were ready. 'Safety and peace, brother.'  
'Safety and peace, brother.' Rusty nodded, watching Zeke slip out and disappear into the shadows over the base.


	2. First Meetings

Burying his discomfort down as deep as he could, Zeke made his way through the noise and bustle of green troops waiting for their first assignment at Chu Lai. They all looked so young, completely oblivious to the true horrors out beyond the safety of the rear as they played jungle rules volleyball and laughed freely as they wandered around. Thinking about the casualties they'd taken recently, he picked out enough cherries to refill the firebase and told them to get their gear organised for the 1400 convoy.

Reasonably sure that Rusty would appreciate the extra troops, even if they were just cherries that probably wouldn't survive their first month, Zeke turned his attention to finding their fresh Assassins somewhere in this cacophony. Pausing for a moment to gather his wits, Zeke checked his hidden blades and pushed off the building with a lazy roll of his shoulders. Glancing around to check for anyone that might want to waylay him, he straightened up and continued walking, searching for the faces from the files.

Swinging around another hut, Zeke stopped cold and stared at the insanity in front of him. Right there in front of everyone, these boys had started a full on brawl between the barracks huts, fists and bodies flying in every direction as they let off some steam. Gaze sweeping the fight again, Zeke chuckled at the sight of Myron perched in a window, watching the brawl helplessly. Kid clearly didn't know how to regain control of the situation.

Catching his gaze and silently demanding a brief on the situation, Zeke growled low when Myron just shrugged, held up four fingers and pointed into the heart of the fight. Nodding sharply, Zeke considered his options carefully before turning his attention back to Myron and pulling a smoke grenade from his webbing. Tossing it into the melee and waiting for the smoke to thicken up a little more, Zeke made his move, entering the smoke cloud quietly.

Closing his eyes for a second and concentrating hard, he opened them to the muted greys of his eagle vision and grabbed the nearest red glow, wrapping him up in a sleeper hold and lowering him carefully once he went still. Keeping part of his attention on the four blue glows in the fight, he grabbed another red figure and knocked them out cold. Suddenly there was a fifth blue glow moving around him and he chuckled as Myron calmly dropped another brawler with a neat blow to the temple.

Despite the odds still stacked so heavily against them, the small team slipped through the smoke with ease, someone tossing a new grenade when the cover became too thin for them to work with. One by one, their opponents went down silently, the Assassins far more comfortable in the smoke than their spluttering opponents. Once the numbers were down to a reasonable level, Zeke held back and watched his five new brothers working through the remaining fighters, adding more smoke when necessary and watching out for anyone else coming their way. They all had their own ways of dealing with the threats, different techniques to make the best of their unique abilities and strengths.

Finally, the last man went down and Zeke paused as he watched Roger pat down his targets before pulling a slightly battered harmonica from one pocket. Zeke was about to tell him off for thieving but shut his mouth when Roger tucked it in his pocket and seemed to relax a little more.  
'Not a bad effort, boys.' Zeke grinned, looking around slowly as the team came to him. 'Name's Zeke Anderson, Senior Assassin. Now, anyone wanna tell me why these guys decided to pick a fight with you?'  
'They don't approve of Roger.' Daniel shrugged, glancing at the shorter man beside him.  
'That so? Ya record states that ya a protestor against the war. That gonna stop ya doin' ya job for the team?' Zeke nodded, gaze swinging to Roger.  
'No, Mentor. I stand loyal to the Assassins; it's the cover war I don't agree with.' Roger replied, straightening up a little more.  
'None of that now, Roger. We ain't so formal, mostly it's names.' Zeke chuckled, resting one hand on his shoulder. 'Gets a little tricky when we're workin' our cover but ya get used to it.'  
'I thought the Council didn't like sending small teams into hostile territory.' Alberto remarked, looking up at Zeke. 'Six seems small to me, Zeke.'  
'We're actually a team of ten now. The other four are waitin' back at base.' Zeke corrected, toying with his seniority stone. 'Marcus, Marvin and Randy are all basic infantry men like you. Only one ya really gotta be careful with is Rusty. He's a Master Assassin, a Captain and the base CO.'  
'So we gotta pay him respect all the time, right?' Daniel asked, glancing at Myron quickly. 'It's been weird gettin' used to addressing Myron as Sir.'  
'It's real simple, Daniel. Above ground, ya behave, offer salutes when needed and address all officers as Sir, and me as Sarge. Below ground, we're all on a first name basis.' Zeke guided, turning his gaze to Myron. 'Its okay, LT. Ain't the first time I've had an officer who I outranked.'  
'Most people here haven't realised I'm actually an officer.' Myron chuckled, meeting Zeke's gaze and motioning to his collar.

Zeke couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he realised that Myron had been hiding among the enlisted men, his new rank tucked away out of sight for the time being. Apparently this boy knew a lot more about stealth and sneaking around than Zeke had expected.  
'I think we're gonna get along just fine, Myron.' Zeke nodded, looking down when one of the downed men groaned. 'But right now, we'd best be movin' out. No sense waitin' for another fight with that lot.'

Trooping back into their barracks, the new arrivals headed straight for their cots in one corner of the room, starting to pack up all their gear in readiness. Watching them, Zeke leant back against the wall and tried to relax a little but he couldn't stop thinking about the past. Deep down he knew that Martin Goldman wasn't a threat to him anymore; Zeke was only a few steps shy of becoming a Master Assassin but that didn't help to ease the discomfort in knowing that he was now responsible for the child of the asshole who had almost derailed his apprenticeship. He couldn't focus on that now though, not while he had five fresh-faced young men looking to him for guidance, support and leadership.  
'Hope ya ready for this lot, Rusty.' Zeke muttered, shaking his head slowly.

==]====> <====[==

Perking up a little when he heard the convoy roll onto the firebase, Rusty glanced up from his paperwork as Zeke's voice boomed across the base. Satisfied that everything was under control, Rusty turned back to his endless paperwork and tried to concentrate on yet another pointless report. It felt like all he did lately was paperwork, he really missed the thrill of a midnight hunt but with his cover story and the firebase now under his command, he'd been forced to hand most of the missions to Zeke and the team.

At least he'd been able to unleash some of his frustrations in a short mission the previous night. Most of the men on base had no idea that they'd had an incursion in the middle of the night; a lone Templar had managed to sneak straight past the sentries and into the base proper. She had somehow made it all the way to the Assassin tent before the faint rustle of canvas woke Rusty and he'd been able to take her down before she could do him any harm. Rusty hadn't bothered trying to interrogate her, he knew she wouldn't talk so he'd just slit her throat, taken her weapons and a few small bits of Intel and dumped her outside the CP for the night.

This morning the men were more alert, he'd given them all a severe reaming for allowing a VC infiltrator to get that close to the CP. Rusty told the men that it was pure chance he'd managed to stop her, showing off the cuts on his arms where she'd fought back before he'd finally managed to subdue her. He claimed that her death was her own action; she'd slit her throat rather than face the Americans. The men swallowed the story easily and started paying a lot more attention to what they were doing, stringing extra tangle foot and barbed wire around their perimeter to try and stop further incursions. Rusty just hoped the extra defences wouldn't stop his boys slipping out after dark to do their jobs.

Smiling faintly when he heard Zeke call out to him in a much more respectful tone, Rusty kept right on working as he acknowledged Zeke and listened closely as several people entered.  
'Here they are, Sir. The five you specifically requested.' Zeke offered, standing just off to the side.  
'Wait a minute…I was told to expect a Lieutenant Goldman, not a Private Goldman.' Rusty blinked, staring at the five men in front of him.  
'what'd I tell ya, LT.' Zeke chuckled, pointing back towards the line as Myron reached into his pocket and pulled out his Lieutenant's bars. 'He's better at hidin' than we anticipated. Found him in the enlisted barracks, stickin' close with his brothers.'  
'I'm impressed. Most officers prefer to distance themselves, not move in with the enlisted.' Rusty chuckled, making sure the insignia were on straight before offering his hand. 'I'm Rusty Wallace, welcome to Firebase Ladybird.'  
'Baker, relax. We're above ground so…' Zeke prompted, glancing at Rusty for a moment. 'They're still adjusting to the split.'

It took them a couple of seconds but finally the new arrivals got it together in their minds, coming to attention and saluting properly. Rolling his eyes at Zeke, Rusty gave them a lazy half salute back and settled against his desk comfortably as he told them to be at ease.  
'Much as I'd love to go over everything right now, most of the base don't have a clue about us. I plan to keep it that way so we'll save the proper briefing for later. Right now, I need to speak with Lieutenant Goldman alone; Zeke will show you four to your cots and introduce you to the rest of the team.' Rusty nodded, trying to avoid drawing attention to their unique little team among so many soldiers. 'And Zeke, I want you to check the perimeter again. We had an incursion last night.'  
'Was wonderin' 'bout that body by the CP.' Zeke replied, adjusting the way his rifle was hanging on his shoulder. 'Come on guys, this way.'

Trying not to think about how young his new Assassins looked, Rusty kicked his Assassin mindset out of his head and focused on the upcoming mission. Unlike some people, Rusty did his best to keep his duties separate, switching from one to the other with practised ease. He almost never used his eagle vision on combat missions, preferring it if no one saw the change in his eyes. It was far too complicated to try and explain how his baby blues suddenly turned gold and then went back to blue.  
'Sir, I get the feeling that Sergeant Anderson doesn't really trust me.' Myron remarked, trying to relax into this dual hierarchy. 'I can't quite put my finger on why though.'  
'He's always had a hard time separating his duties. Sergeant Anderson is wary; he's had several Lieutenants before you and doesn't want to get too close in case he loses you too quickly. He'd only known his last Lieutenant for a month before he was killed, the one before that only survived three months before he was sniped.' Rusty sighed, putting it all out there for Myron to consider. 'Zeke however, we'll he's got a history with your father and he's trying hard to forget the past so he can teach you everything he knows. It's not my place to talk about that incident though, when he's ready, he'll tell you about it. Give him time and for god's sake, don't let him know I told you.'  
'Yes Sir, I understand.' Myron nodded, deeply concerned that whatever was going on might affect his working relationship with Zeke. 'This stays between us.'  
'Good man. Come on, I'll show you to the team tent. It's not much but its home and it'll give you plenty of time to get used to the team.' Rusty grinned, grabbing his rifle and helmet. 'People have stopped asking why I choose to sleep among my men, so I doubt they'll even ask about you. It's just part of life here.'  
'I prefer it actually. Officer Quarters are too quiet.' Myron agreed, falling in beside Rusty as they headed across the base.  
'I hear ya there.' Rusty chuckled, slipping his pipe between his lips again. 'Try and take it easy today, I've got a mission that needs to be done tonight and there's a good chance Zeke will take you with him.'  
'A blooding mission?' Myron asked, keeping his voice down to avoid suspicions.  
'All going to plan, yeah. Roger and Daniel both need to be blooded too so we'll have to see what Zeke thinks when I show him the mission.' Rusty confirmed, acknowledging his men and glancing towards the perimeter every so often. 'I just hope you're ready to survive on little to no sleep. You'll be running missions day and night, plus the base gets mortared usually every third night but sometimes Charlie changes the timetable.'  
'I'll adjust Sir.' Myron nodded, confident that he'd settle into the new routine.  
'That's why we like having teams of ten. Plenty of capable men to rotate so we all get a little more sleep.' Rusty chuckled, entering the team tent and glancing around. 'That'll be your rack, between Zeke and Randy.'  
'Finally, a buffer for his snoring.' Randy quipped, looking up from his kit. 'Welcome to the team.'  
'Hey now.' Zeke growled, tugging his bootlace firm. 'I only snore when I'm totally stuffed.'  
'So I'm expectin' ya to snore tonight.' Rusty teased, setting his helmet aside. 'Been a rough week.'  
'Nah slept that off at Chu Lai.' Zeke shrugged, accepting the page Rusty held out to him.

Reading over the mission carefully, Zeke paused and looked around at the new arrivals slowly, contemplating who to take along for this one. Daniel and Scott were both quickly dismissed, they were both big men and this one would need a lighter step. Alberto was out too, he'd already been blooded and this mission was easy enough to be a blooding run. As much as he knew Myron should have already been blooded and have several missions under his belt, Zeke's gaze finally settled on Roger.  
'Not tonight, Sarge. Come on, not after the belting I took this morning.' Roger almost pleaded, looking up quickly.  
'Pain's a part of life, kid. Ya been on plenty of missions but never blooded so ya goin' t'night.' Zeke nodded, his choice made up. 'It an easy one, should only take an hour or so.'  
'You won't steal it, will you?' Roger asked, absently fiddling with his hidden blade. 'The Seniors stole my last two.'  
'Nah, I ain't a thief. Had my bloodin' kill stolen three times by the same Senior. Ain't gonna do that to any of my boys.' Zeke insisted, moving to take a seat beside Roger. 'I'm just there for backup if ya need it, this is all for ya.'  
'Thanks Zeke.' Roger nodded, accepting the mission brief. 'I'll make you proud.'

==]====> <====[==

Gathering in the bunker as the base settled down for another night, the team relaxed and reaffirmed their promise to each other. They made for a strange sight, eight in their fatigues and two dressed in the simplified dark robes provided for them. Dyed in random patterns of dark greens, browns and greys, the robes were perfect for sneaking through the jungles of Nam and because they were so different from their usual fatigues, they helped to reinforce the switch between duties.

Securing the last of his needed equipment, Zeke slipped on his hidden blades and fastened them securely, fully aware that Roger was staring at the smaller unit already mounted on his right arm. Lightweight and lacking all the extra gear mounted on his left bracer, the right one was a mark of rank and showed that he was truly an Assassin to fear.  
'Keep at it Roger and you'll earn the second blade.' Zeke grinned, tugging his sleeves back down.  
'I'll keep that in mind, Zeke.' Roger nodded; making sure his hidden blade was ready for action.  
'Just focus on the mission, Roger. Everything else can wait.' Randy guided, handing Zeke a prepared medical kit.  
'Stop frettin' Randy, I'll bring him home.' Zeke promised, securing the pouch to his belt and turning to Rusty.

Pulling his dog tags out from under his robes, Zeke looked at them for a second before slipping the chain over his head. Squeezing the warmed metal lightly in one hand, he handed them to Rusty and stepped back again.  
'I always hate that part.' Zeke muttered, rubbing lightly at his neck. 'Spent too damn long wearin' 'em to like it.'  
'And just like always, they'll be right here when ya get back.' Rusty replied, accepting Roger's tags and turning to hang them on the wall where everyone could see them.  
'c'mon, let's get this done.' Zeke nodded, heading for the narrow tunnel that led from their bunker out beyond the wire. 'Keep real quiet and stay close.'  
'Safety and peace, my brothers.' Rusty offered, turning back to the pair.  
'Safety and peace.' Roger repeated, following Zeke into the tunnel and away.  
'Now we wait for their return.' Marvin uttered, sagging back against the wall. 'I hate this part.'  
'It never gets any easier, Marvin.' Rusty sighed, dropping onto the nearest crate. 'Been runnin' bureaus for twenty years and it's still tough.'  
'There has to be something we can do.' Myron uttered, looking around slowly. 'We can't just sit here and do nothing until they get back.'  
'You could always go back to your rack and sleep.' Marcus shrugged, glancing towards the tunnel entrance. 'But I ain't leavin' until Zeke and Roger get back.'  
'Knock it off, Marcus.' Randy growled, reaching into the crate beside him and pulling out a deck of cards. 'Deal out a hand of something.'  
'Even if it's just fish.' Rusty shrugged, refilling his pipe and leaning forward.  
'Beats doing nothing.' Myron nodded, shuffling the cards and dealing out a hand of fish.

Picking up his cards, Alberto couldn't help but chuckle as he relaxed on his crate and glanced towards where he'd left his M60 for now. They made for such a weird sight, perched on crates and boxes, eight grown men playing fish in the middle of a forward firebase as the rest of the base slept above them.  
'Gonna share the joke Alberto?' Rusty asked, tucking his pipe in the corner of his mouth. 'Randy, got an eight?'  
'Go fish.' Randy replied, rearranging the cards in his hands. 'Danny, got an ace?'  
'Just thinkin', Rusty.' Alberto grinned, shifting a little on his crate. 'this ain't what I thought I'd be doin' over here.'  
'Yeah, I got one.' Danny nodded, handing over a card and relaxing a little more. 'Marvin, got a queen? I hear ya Alberto, this ain't what I expected either.'  
'Go fish.' Marvin shrugged, setting his cards down and retrieving a round of beers from another crate. 'Scott, got a two?'  
'Wet a line.' Scott grinned, accepting his beer. 'Marcus, got a king?'  
'Yeah.' Marcus replied, handing over the card and sipping his beer. 'Life here ain't ever what ya expect. Alberto, got any fives?'  
'Go fish.' Alberto countered, getting comfortable on his crate. 'Myron, any sixes?'  
'That I've got.' Myron nodded, passing the card over and leaning back as Rusty stood.

Handing around a few bags of jerky from the world, Rusty returned to his spot and settled back comfortably. Honestly, there were worse ways to spend an evening in the middle of Vietnam and right now, he could afford to let down his guard a little and relax among his men. Up top, he had to be constantly on guard, protecting their secrets and making sure no one got wind of their operation but down here, he could let it all go and just be plain old Rusty.  
'Hey, you still with us Rusty?' Myron asked, giving him a nudge.  
'Huh? Oh yeah, was just thinkin'.' Rusty nodded, picking up his beer. 'missin' bein' one of the guys mostly.'  
'Ya still one of the guys down here.' Danny grinned, scratching at his hair.  
'I asked if you had any sevens.' Myron chuckled, enjoying this chance to relax and do nothing of any great importance.  
'Sometimes I think down here is the only thing keeping me sane.' Rusty nodded, handing Myron the seven of hearts. 'Lookin' for a jack, Randy.'  
'Outta luck, Rusty.' Randy shrugged, chewing on a strip of jerky. 'This is good stuff, Rusty.'

==]====> <====[==

Trusting in his training and Zeke's last minute whispered instructions, Roger crept through the last few yards of scrub and slipped into the ville where their target was staying for the night. Staying low and moving carefully, he first circled around the perimeter of the ville, dispatching the guards with precise strikes into their necks. Lowering each one down gently, he kept moving around the area, blending into the shadows and giving no clues to his location.

Pausing in the shadows outside the target hut, Roger scanned the area slowly with his eagle vision before slipping into the hut. Maintaining his calm, Roger inched towards the bed and lunged, pinning his target to the bed as he flicked out his hidden blade.  
'Requiescat in pace, asshole.' Roger growled, thrusting his blade through flesh and sinew with ease until he reached the heart. 'At least you can't cause more trouble.'

Withdrawing his blade and turning away, Roger paused for a moment before collecting the two bundles of paperwork sitting by the bed. He wasn't totally sure what it was all about but his eagle vision told him it was important so he tucked the smaller bundle inside his robe and clutched the other to his chest as he made his getaway. Even though he was confident that he'd gotten all the guards, Roger took no chances with his escape route, drifting among the shadows and working with the motion of the plants until he got back to Zeke's side.

Grabbing the second bundle of stuff from Roger, Zeke stuffed it inside his robe and took off after Roger, the pair determined to clear the area before anyone else realised what they'd been up to. It didn't really matter if anyone saw them, no one would be able to stop them now that the job was done and another small cog in the Templar machine had been deactivated permanently. Tonight's target was a little bit larger cog than previous mission but Zeke still hated that they weren't getting clearance to go after the really big problems in their area. They all knew there were serious Templar targets within a few hours run of the camp, they'd heard the stories but HQ refused to let them go after the major problems.

Sticking in beside Zeke as they made their escape, Roger maintained his calm, weaving through the undergrowth and zeroing in on their final target. Nudging open their secret entrance, Roger dropped down first and huddled in the darkness as Zeke checked the perimeter before closing the door and dropping down beside him. Pulling out their Intel bundles, the pair hustled back along the tunnel, listening to the voices of their brothers as they closed the distance again.  
'Sounds like our rovers are back.' Rusty chuckled, opening up the doorway.  
'And we bring gifts.' Zeke replied, crawling out of the tunnel and stretching.  
'Lots of gifts.' Roger agreed, pulling the bundle of documents out of his tunic. 'Snatched these from my target.'  
'Nicely done, Roger.' Rusty praised, accepting the two bundles and setting them down out of the way. 'Any doubts Zeke?'  
'Not a one, Rusty.' Zeke grinned, starting to peel off his robes. 'Roger's a natural for the blade, never made a sound out there.'

Now that he had Zeke's affirmation, Roger turned to Rusty and shifted his weight back and down, so used to taking a knee when presenting his skills to his seniors but Rusty stopped him with a firm grip on his arm.  
'Over here, we don't kneel to our superiors.' Rusty corrected, releasing his grip. 'Start doin' that down here and ya gonna make the mistake of doin' it up top. Ain't gonna see another boy lynched because people don't understand.'  
'I got it, Rusty.' Roger nodded, flipping out his bloodied blade and presenting it smoothly. 'I present the proof of my kill as is appropriate.'  
'I accept the proof as shown and welcome you into the ranks of fully blooded Assassins.' Rusty nodded, wiping a cloth over the still damp blood. 'There's a bucket of water in the cover, wash up properly now.'

Folding up his robes and returning them to the storage chest with all the others, Zeke gratefully pulled on his filthy fatigues again and nodded slowly as he resecured his worn old headband into place again. Deep down he would always be an Assassin, he thrill of the hunt carried in his blood and the ancient rallying cry still singing in his ears but over here, he couldn't risk feeling comfortable but he tried to at least be comfortable in his position as Sergeant. Two halves of the same man, both equally important but Zeke couldn't carry them evenly. To him, he would always be far more Assassin than Sergeant but he was well versed in hiding his true feelings behind dirt and grime.  
'As promised, safe and sound.' Rusty grinned, holding out the two sets of tags.  
'Guh, you coulda warmed 'em first.' Roger complained, rubbing the tags between his hands and dropping them back down his shirt.  
'It's a reminder ya survived, Roger.' Zeke chuckled, tucking his out of sight. 'Ya get used to it.'

Lacing up his boots and accepting the bottle Myron held out to him, Roger settled back against the wall and let his guard down just a little as he relaxed. The adrenaline had finally worn off, making it a little easier for him to think back over the mission and evaluate the options. There were a few minor things he could have done differently but nothing that would have affected the outcomes of the mission.  
'c'mon, off to ya cots.' Rusty guided, securing their latest Intel and making sure the room was properly sterilised. 'It's been a long day.'  
'Ya ain't the only one who had a tough day, Rusty.' Zeke guided, doing a final sweep and nudging Rusty towards the stairs. 'Go on, I got this.'

Trudging up out of their bunker, the weary team headed straight for their tent, supporting each other without making it apparent that they were up to anything unusual. Rusty just hoped that anyone who saw them would put it down to a last minute briefing for a first light mission. That was pretty much standard for a firebase, missions run all hours of the day and night, on foot if the pilots refused to fly.

Scattering through their tent, the team set their weapons close to hand and shucked most of their gear into piles on their footlockers. Setting their boots within reach, they settled quickly under the shared watch of their seniors in both circles.  
'Get some rest, Sir. I've got the watch.' Marvin promised, stretched out on his rack but sleep still far from his mind.  
'Wake me for me shift, okay?' Danny insisted, settling down for the night and hoping it would be peaceful as Johnson reassured him that he would be woken for his shift.  
'Good man.' Rusty nodded, pulling the worn blanket over his shoulders. 'G'night guys.'  
'Sleep well Sir.' Scott replied, getting reasonably comfortable on his cot.  
'Go on, ya get some sleep now.' Zeke grinned, curling up and pillowing his head on one arm.  
'Night guys.' Alberto sighed, so much more innocent in slumber.  
'Good dreams LT, we've got this.' Marcus yawned, burrowing under his blanket quickly.  
'I'll try Marcus.' Myron agreed, eyes closing slowly on the image of his men at peace.  
'Safety and peace.' Randy muttered; a faint smile on his face as he gave into sleep.  
'To all a good night.' Roger breathed, checking the radio was still close as he drifted off to sleep.


End file.
